Why did Thanksgiving end up on a Thursday?

Hook

Why and how did Thanksgiving end up on a Thursday? The date wasn't always fixed, and one president even tried to move it.

Lincoln

In 1863, during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. Later presidents mostly followed his lead.

Problem

But some Novembers have five Thursdays. In 1939, the last one fell on November thirtieth, leaving a short shopping season before Christmas.

Fdr

So Franklin Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving a week earlier to give stores more shopping days. Critics nicknamed it Franksgiving.

Split

The country split. Twenty two states followed the new date, twenty three kept the old one, and three states celebrated both.

Law

In 1941, Congress settled it by law. Thanksgiving became the fourth Thursday of November, every year.

Range

That's why it can land anywhere from November twenty second to November twenty eighth.

Close

So Thanksgiving is on a Thursday thanks to Lincoln's tradition, and on the fourth one thanks to Congress. ThatsWhyHow.